Mount Saint Mary’s University, the only women’s university in Los Angeles, has joined the Vatican’s Laudato Si’ Action Platform, an initiative that promotes sustainability in the spirit of Pope Francis’ encyclical of the same name.
Announced in November, the platform provides Catholic institutions with practical resources to create sustainable lifestyles. Over a seven-year program, participants will focus on community building and resource sharing, and will work on environmentally friendly practices that follow the pope’s concerns in his encyclical.
“The Laudato Si’ goals resonate with our mission, values, and the University strategic plan,” said Mount Saint Mary’s president Ann McElaney-Johnson PhD. “As we embark on this journey, this will be a community-led effort that will touch on several of the key areas of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, establishing our own way forward to answer this call.”
As a Laudato Si’ university, Mount Saint Mary’s will undergo a self-assessment in the spring of 2022 to create a plan for reducing their environmental footprint. The university has already installed 60 electric vehicle charging stations and solar panels across campus.
